The usual way I hear it and say it is, "I have a story that...". The intended purpose is to create some space between my mental model (which includes my belief

The usual way I hear it and say it is, "I have a story that...". The intended purpose is to create some space between my mental model (which includes my beliefs about your intentions and feelings) and yours. It allows me to share information about my thoughts while inviting you to offer a different point of view. Making direct statements about another person's feelings or thoughts ("You're angry", "You think I'm incompetent") will usually offend them or provoke immediate defensiveness. Saying "I have a story..." turns an aggressive-sounding statement into a more vulnerable one.